Standard Questions Johannes Enders

• 1 Why 04:27
• 2 Isn't It Romantic 07:23
• 3 How Long Has This Been Going On 05:15
• 4 What Kind of Blue 04:53
• 5 How High the Moon 06:00
• 6 Where Are You 05:47
• 7 How Deep Is the Ocean 08:48
• 8 What Am I Here For 05:56
• 9 What's New 05:05
• Total Runtime 53:34

Info for Standard Questions

The idea behind Johannes Enders' formation Standard Questions was inspired by the concept of dedicating their repertoire exclusively to pieces that feature a question in the title. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?, What’s New?, Where Are You?—these timeless classics set the stage for a journey into inquiry and imagination. Of course, this first-class, internationally acclaimed quartet will also attempt to answer these and other vital questions of humanity through their music.

Johannes Enders is probably one of the most productive and experimental tenor saxophonists of his generation, far beyond the borders of Germany. The 2-meter man from Weilheim, who studied in Munich, Graz and New York, is an active creative spirit whose immense artistic output is full of surprises. For this he has been awarded numerous prizes in recent years, including the Cultural Promotion Prize of the City of Munich, the SWR Jazz Prize, the New German Jazz Prize, the German Music Authors' Prize and the Echo Jazz.

Oliver Kent is an Austrian jazz pianist known for his dynamic and versatile style. Initially trained in classical music, Kent began studying jazz piano and music theory in Vienna in 1987, where he has also been teaching since 2002. Over the course of his career, he has collaborated with numerous international jazz luminaries such as Art Farmer, Idris Muhammad, and Eddie Henderson. In 2002, he was awarded the Hans Koller Prize, and in 2007, he won the New German Jazz Prize alongside Johannes Enders.

Josh Ginsburg is a fixture on concert stages and in jazz clubs around the world. His most recent album as a leader, "Zembla Variations", was named Album of the Year by the New York City Jazz Record. A New York musician from the beginning, he has performed regularly with many influential musicians and has toured internationally with bands led by Kurt Rosenwinkel, David Friedman, Jeremy Pelt, E.J. Strickland, George Colligan, Jure Pukl, Logan Richardson, Diego Piñera, Tino Derado and Aruán Ortiz.

Gene Calderazzo is an American drummer who ranks among the finest in his craft, much like his younger brother, Joey Calderazzo. Over the years, Gene has performed with legendary artists such as Branford Marsalis, Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, Benny Golson, and Pharoah Sanders, among many others. Since 1995, he has been based in the United Kingdom, where he has contributed significantly to jazz education, teaching at several prestigious institutions.

Johannes Enders, tenor and soprano saxophone
Oliver Kent, piano
Josh Ginsberg, bass
Gene Calderazzo, drums

Johannes Stefan Enders
(born 1967 in Weilheim, Upper Bavaria) is a German jazz saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator. Since 2009, he has held a professorship in jazz saxophone in Leipzig. His musical career began at the age of 14, when he switched from the flute to the alto saxophone and discovered his passion for soul and jazz music. Following a period of study under Jürgen Seefelder and André Legros at the Richard Strauss Conservatory in Munich, he moved to the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in 1987 to study jazz saxophone and improvisation with Charlie Miklin, Adelhard Roidinger, and Carl Drewo. After encounters with artists such as Jerry Bergonzi, David Liebman, Vincent Herring, and Reggie Workman, he received a scholarship to attend The New School in New York. There, he studied and performed with luminaries including Donald Byrd, Jaki Byard, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Brad Mehldau, Chris Potter, Joey Calderazzo, Sam Rivers, Peter Bernstein, Joe Locke, Pete LaRoca, and Roy Hargrove. He was awarded the Silver Trophy at the "American Music Fest" in San Francisco (1990) and participated in the Thelonious Monk Competition in Washington, D.C. Upon returning to Germany, Johannes Enders quickly established himself as one of the most significant voices on the tenor saxophone and was signed by the label ENJA Records. He has founded various ensembles, including his acoustic quartet, the saxophone quartet "ZeitGeistMaschine," and duo projects with jazz legend Günter "Baby" Sommer and pianist Rainer Böhm, as well as his electro-jazz projects "Enders Room" and "Enders Dome." Over the years, his immense creative output has earned him... He has been honored with the Austrian Jazz Prize, the City of Munich’s Cultural Advancement Award for Music, the SWR Jazz Prize, the Weilheim Cultural Prize, the New German Jazz Prize, the 2012 Jazz Echo, the German Music Authors’ Prize, and the Bavarian State Advancement Award. As a sought-after sideman in bands such as The Notwist, Tied & Tickled Trio, the Billy Hart European Quintet, Günter Baby Sommer’s Quartett Süd, the Franco Ambrosetti Quartet, the Karl Ratzer Quintet, and many others, Johannes Enders has performed in all the major clubs and at all the significant festivals, and has appeared on over 100 studio recordings to date.

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